Drought Management Plan

The long-term sustainability of our water resources as an issue of primary importance, requiring continual monitoring.

Council has adopted a policy on water restrictions and drought management which took effect from March 2009.

The objective of Council’s Policy is to provide an operational framework to manage the risk of failure to water supply in circumstances where low rainfall, system failures or water quality restrict or limit the ability to supply water.

The purpose of this strategy is to:

Encourage the Council’s customers and the wider community to conserve water and use it wisely;

Outline the Western Downs Regional Council’s approved plans for regulating the use of water from the various water supply systems under Council’s control during periods of water shortage;

Identify other water sources and actions that the Council will consider during periods of extreme drought to maintain essential water services sufficient to ensure minimum health requirements; and

Comply with the requirements of Chapter 3 of Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008.

Regional Water Restriction Schedule

To comply with the requirements of the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008, Council is required to enforce watering restrictions to all users, including potable and non-potable users, connected to a Council water supply.

Residents will be notified of changes to current restriction levels in local newspapers, community newsletters and through Council’s website.

Copies of the restriction policy can be made available at all Council customer service centres.